Gateshead council has prosecuted a local landlord fined £7,000 for letting out three dangerous flats.

Anthony Hall of Birtley pleaded guilty to a charge under the Housing Act 2004. He was fined £1,115 for poor conditions at each property totalling £3,345, a £446 surcharge, and £3,200 costs awarded to the council.

The offences related to one property in Bensham and two properties in Birtley, where the council had required Hall to carry out urgent improvements to make sure they were of a liveable standard and free from serious hazards.

Following an inspection at one of Hall’s properties, an Improvement Notice was served that required repairs relating to a lack of handrails on staircases, defective windows, defective external walls, and electrical hazards.

Hall’s lack of response to this Notice prompted council officers to inspect other rented homes in his portfolio of properties in Gateshead, with two more being found to be poorly managed, with damp and mould, defective windows and ventilation, lack of handrails to staircases, electrical hazards, and fire safety issues.

The council issued Hall with Housing Act 2004 Improvement Notices for each of the properties. But Hall, an experienced landlord with several properties, had failed to engage with officers or to have the work carried out and comply with the Notices. 

A council spokesperson says: “We hope this successful prosecution acts as a warning to landlords within Gateshead. We value the contribution that a well-managed private rented sector makes to Gateshead, but we will not tolerate landlords that willingly let substandard properties that risk the health and wellbeing of local residents.

“Everyone has a right to live in a safe and warm home, and we will continue to take robust action against any landlords who disregard their responsibilities.”